"Just Be A Grinkie Girl" Song Cover Contest

Grinkie Girls Photography and MnUps Magazine (Minnesota's Premier Pin Up Magazine) are teaming up for this epic contest.

Calling All Musicians!

Record your own version of the 'Just Be A Grinkie Girl' song for a chance to win an Artist Spotlight feature in MnUps Magazine. Videotape yourself performing your own rendition of the 'Just Be A Grinkie Girl' song. You have artist's license to take parts of the lyrics or melody and mix it up to suit your own style.

Upload your video to Yourtube and send us a link at editor@mnups.com no later than midnight on October 14th, 2013. We'll add it to our channel/playlist and the voting begins!

The video with the most "likes" wins! Contest ends at midnight on Friday, October 25th.

You can find the original video under our Videos tab at www.grinkiegirls.com or on Youtube.

You can find the Sheet Music below.

Vocals & Piano - Page 1

Vocals & Piano - Page 2

Vocals & Piano - Page 3

Dashboards & Diners

Top 5 ways to Have Fun at 

The Grinkie Girls Photography

Dashboard & Diners Mini Session

by Anne Ripka-Payment

1. Get Tiki-Tastic

2. Rev It Up in a  1937 Ford Coup

3. Be Diner-licious

  

4. Fill' Er Up Retro-tagious Gas Station

 

 

 

 

5. Save the
Best for Last
at The Arbor~

Mark your Calendars September 4, 2013 from 10-5pm! Grab a Gal-Pal and Guarantee Your Reserved Spot by Prepaying!

For More Information, Time Slots or Hair & Makeup Arrangements contact:

Nancy Kuledge • 763-232-4006 • nancykuledge@gmail.com

www.grinkiegirls.com

Grinkie Girls - All Ages Are Encouraged

We're well over the 150 mark - and in that time - we've photographed  a bevy of pin up beauties. Pin up photography sessions are for everyone. Young and old and in between, seeing yourself through the lens of Grinkie Girl Photography is life changing.

Something New for Date Night? Pin Up Portraits!

Rick and Melissa have been happily married for years, raising four children. To keep things fun and interesting, Rick wanted to plan a special date night for the two of them. Something different to get away from the laundry, dishes and mostly the awesome four kids.

He was struggling to think of something new they could do together when he read an article in the Star Tribune about MnUps Magazine and Grinkie Girls Photography. Perfect!

Hair & Makeup - Avis Maria

He set up a shoot with Christi, packed wine, glasses, fancy cheese and crackers and off they went. Watching Melissa go through the transformation from everyday beauty to pin up model was a fun experience for both of them. Great date - and terrific pictures to go with the memories.

Rick & Melissa

Three Generation Photo Shoot

by Christi Williams, Photographer

I am not going to lie, I'd been looking forward to this shoot for weeks. Kristyn was at a pinup workshop with me when I was talking about how much I was looking forward to an upcoming shoot with a 70 year old.. She immediately thought of her sassy 86 year old mother-in-law. When she suggested a three generation shoot - I nearly passed out with joy. How fun would that be?

Mom, Daughters & Grandma having tea

About a month later we had the shoot and had a blast! She wanted to create a special memory for her kids with her mother-in-law and ended up creating a special memory for all of us. The girls loved getting all dressed up and having their hair done up fancy. I definitely see more multi-generational shots in my future.

"What do you give a mother-in-law who has everything for her 86th birthday? Photos to cherish and memories to last a lifetime!! I can't express enough what a wonderful experience we had at Grinkie Photography. The time flew by so fast. Christi Jean Williams thought of everything. It was a full day of laughter and fun. Everyone should have the experience of being a Grinkie Girl!"     --Kristyn

Grandma saves the day! Nasty little mouse....

Pin Up Model (and Editor of MnUps Magazine) Gets Tattoo in Celebration

by Christi Williams, photographer

Local pin up model and editor/publisher of MnUps Magazine got a new tattoo in celebration of a monumental life change and the launch of her new Minnesota-based pin up magazine, deciding to bring more color to her life, and her back. I sat down with Dawnfelice to talk to her about the experience.


The final product

Christi: Why did you choose this design?

Dawnfelice: Each aspect of the tattoo holds special meaning for me. The woman represents freedom, joy and self-love. I've come to a place of honoring my body in it's current form, not 10 pounds from now, but now. I am beautiful and worthy. The butterflies represent growth and transformation. The daisies are particularly special. When I was a child, I was quite ill and spent a lot of time in the hospital. My dad would bring me daisies which were my childhood favorite. They still make me smile and represent how fragile something can be and still persevere. Daisies aren't hardy, but they always come back.


This is a before picture of the butterfly tattoo that was being covered.

Christi: So, Dawnfelice, why did you choose Live Fast Die Young for your tattoo?

Dawnfelice: I was here a few months ago for a pin up shoot with Grinkie Girls Photography and loved what I saw. It was clean, open, and had great style. After researching the artists I decided on Josh Cerny because I felt he was a good match with his style. I needed skill because I wanted to cover an old tattoo. Josh designed the beautiful artwork. I needed a fresh start and I was ready to put reminders of the past behind me. My heart seriously skipped a beat when I saw his design.



Josh Cerny - work in progress



We've had some fun since the tattoo was done, including having Rockabilly Legend, Brian Setzer take pictures of it during the GSTA car show opener.


Brian Setzer checks out the little lady.

The final product is the work of more than eight hours, and is a classically colored work of art. The perfect celebration!

And The Award Goes To....

Christi Williams of Grinkie Girls Photography. Congratulations to our very own Christi Williams for winning the "Best Catch Phrase" award from the Twin Cities Wedding Professionals.

Originally introduced by Flip Script Films in the Grinkie Girl commercial, and sung by Jillian Rae of the Music Lab, Christi came up with the phrase as she was falling asleep one night.

Developed from true love of the art, Christi is quickly becoming one of the Twin Cities top pin-up photographers. She works hard to get people looking and feeling their best, turning everyday beautiful women into sassy pin-up girls. She has also begun working with other industry professionals. B-movie director Christpher Mihm came into the studio, along with his monsters for a shoot.

You can see her work all over the Twin Cities at places like Glam Doll Donuts, Sister Sludge Coffee Shop, and in Minnesota's Premier Pin-Up Magazine, MnUps This award is only the beginning of proving to the Twin Cities that Grinkie Girls Have More Fun.

Give Mom Something Different This Mother's Day

Call or email christi to order a fantastic gift certificate for a pin up photography shoot. She'll feel like a million bucks!!

"Petty Girl" to Grinkie Girl.... A brief history of the pinup....

 by Michael Potter

Back in the 1930s there was a man named George Petty, and he decided that beautiful women are something that the world needed to see. Mr. Petty began creating art pieces that we know now as a 'pinup'. These lovely ladies became know as "Petty Girls" and were featured in major advertisements, calendars, and the cover image of Esquire No. 1.

A Jantzen Bathing Suit Ad featuring a Petty Girl

Another famous name to come out of the 1930s is Gil Elvgren. Born in Minnesota, he went on to study at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Some consider Elvgren to be one of, if not the most influential pinup artist of the 20th century. After his studies in Minneapolis, Elvgren moved to Chicago to work with Stevens and Gross, Chicago's most prestigious advertising agency. Elvgren worked with companies ranging from Coca-Cola to General Electric over a 40-year career.

A Gil Elvgren Original

In the 1950s, pinup models became household names and feature actresses in Hollywood. Women like Marilyn Monroe and Betty Page took America and pop culture by storm.

During World War II, the pinup could be seen painted on the nose of military airplanes, the most famous being the Memphis Belle.

The art of the pinup never really ended, but in the 1960s went into a recession. However, some notable ladies, namely Raquel Welch, kept the pinup culture alive.

Fast forward to today. The culture of the pinup is not only alive but making a full resurgence into pop culture. You can find the classic images of Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe on everything from tee-shirts to tattoos. Children and adults alike are falling in love with the pinup all over again.

Christi Williams and the Grinkie Girls are doing their best to bring the pinup culture to Minneapolis, turning everyday women into sassy pinups. Having fun is a safe, easy-going, loving atmosphere are the most important aspects of a photo shoot with the Grinkie Girls. The fantastic pictures are a byproduct of the lively environment.

Teaming up with the Grinkie Girls is Dawnfelice Warneke. She and the team at MN-Ups Magazine, out of a true passion for the lifestyle, worked hard to put together Minnesota's Premier Pin-Up Magazine, reintroducing Minnesota to the pinup culture and having fun along the way. 

Voting Open in the First Miss Vine Park Spokesmodel Contest

Ladies and gentlemen, drum roll please…

Our twelve pack of finalists have been chosen from over 40 entries in our initial contest.

VOTE ! Vine Park Brewing Company Spokesmodel Contest

Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response.  Remember, these are NOT the photos that will be used for our advertisements, but that a professional photo shoot with the always fantastic Christi Williams at Grinkie Girls Photography is part of the prize package.

You can only vote once, so if you want to win, share with your friends, on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, and get the vote out. Official rules for the contest are here.

Just Be A Grinkie Girl Music Video is Released Online

Local actress Anissa Lubbers has been a Grinkie Girl from the beginning. Last fall, she had the brilliant idea for a song, and wrote "Just Be A Grinkie Girl" based on a Andrews Sister-esque three part harmony. She presented the idea for the song to Christi at a Grinkie Girl get together at Sebastian Joe's ice cream shop.


The idea flamed into a full blown video project, complete with professional musicians (The Vagabonds, Travis Anderson), competition swing dancers, a full production team, professional director (Leanne Montoya of Lulupalooza Productions) and a total budget of zero.

A total of just over 60 people came together to create a fabulous music video of "Just Be A Grinkie Girl".

This video is a collage from the World Premier of the video.

Grinkie Girls Teams Up with MnUps Magazine to Spice Up the GSTA Hot Rod Opener

MN Ups Magazine was asked to help spice up the 57th Annual Gopher State Timing Association’s Hot Rod Spring Opener at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. This show marks the beginning of the exciting 2013 car show season with style. Together with Grinkie Girls Photography, we staffed our booth and dolled up the show floor with our bevy of beauties.

We put together a sampling of all the fabulous fun we had. In a word, we…

GSTA 2013 Highlight Reel.

Bucket List...Be A Pin Up Girl!

by Anne Ripka-Payment

Let’s start out by saying I am all about lists; lists keep me organized, on task and help me feel like I am productive.  So it doesn’t surprise anyone that I have a long “Life” list aka a "Bucket" list.  I started this list when I feel I was at my lowest point in life.  I was going through a divorce, my career came to a standstill and to add to it I was not very happy about being me.  I was about 100 pounds overweight and exhausted all the time. The guilt I felt because I was not healthy enough to run and play with my kids made it worse.  

I needed goals so I created this list…

#1 Find Love ~ after a rough first marriage dissolved, Rob walked into my life.  I used to say to him, “You are so wonderful, I don’t understand why you would want to be with a train wreck like me” he would then tell me, “You are not a train wreck, your just a little fender bender”. He kept every promise he made, He is definitely a keeper!!  He gave me the will power to tackle item # 2 on my list

#2 Get Healthy ~  I have always been what people refer to as “Big Boned”.  After I had my first baby I started to notice I couldn’t lose the weight…I fluctuated from 220 pounds to my highest of 261 pounds. I did Weight Watchers, joined gyms (and actually went). Nothing seemed to work, and having 2 more babies on top of that probably didn’t help…. I wanted Rob to be proud of the woman he was with, and my children needed a mother that was healthy enough to keep up.  I wanted to feel good in my own skin, and confident to take on whatever life threw my way.  That’s when I made the appointment at the Allina Bariatric Center.   I would NEVER say it is the easy way out, but maybe the less frustrating.  Within six months I lost about 80 pounds. After that I stopped counting.  I had energy, confidence and it's funny how people treat you differently.  Dresses were fun to wear again, and the Goodwill was my new best friend.  Going down a size a week, there is no way I could afford a new wardrobe a week…

A year later I am at my lowest weight since 6^th grade.  138 pounds and rocking life, another new addition to our home now is on his way.   I decided then to dig out my List and start where I left off.  I needed some quickly attainable goals and I needed to feel sexy again. Glancing through my list #12 caught my eye..be a Pin-Up girl…Classic, fun, full of life, vibrant…All the traits I was looking for.  I have always loved the Retro/Vintage look and believe that in a previous life I must have been a Bettie. Just when I was about to move on to another number, Boom chukka lucka…my friend post pictures she had taken at a local studio…This is exactly what I am looking for…I contacted her and she raved about the experience and how much fun it was…I had to do it!

I contacted Grinkie Photography on Friday and Christi responded right away and by Tuesday I was with Avis getting my hair and makeup done and super excited to get this done…I had no idea what to expect, and maybe my expectation where a little bit low but wowsers…Either the camera and Photoshop are Miracle workers or I am capable of looking amazing.  I felt like my personality shined through.  Christi made everything that I was feeling on the inside shine through on the outside.  I wore 4” heals, strapless SHORT dresses and Avis gave me make-up and hair tips that were easy enough to handle at home.  They made me feel like I was kind of a big deal!  I do so much for everyone else in my life, so I appreciate the “it’s all about you” attitude.  She understands the day to day demands that are placed on women, being a mother herself.  She embraces the fact that women come in all shapes and sizes and don’t necessarily wear a size 2.  She makes sure when you leave her studio your experience is something to rave about. 

Here's one of Anne's pictures from her Pin Up shoot. We love it so much we use it in some of our ads.

I am not one to promote or push anyone into doing something they are uncomfortable with.  Like I said, this was on my list and I needed to get my VaVa Voom back.  Don’t get me wrong the next day, I was tired and looking worn again, the difference this time is I have the pictures to prove that I can be the stunning vibrant Pin-up girl I feel like inside.  Thanks to Christi and Avis at Grinkie Photography My Bucket list just got a little smaller!!

Something Different - Monster Maternity Pin Up

Written by Mike Potter (Team Grinkie)

Our little brussel sprout

"Its nice if you can do something to make yourself feel beautiful when you are not physically feeling your best."  -- Tara

Not to often do you find a women that is eight months pregnant posing for a pinup shoot. Even less often do women make it eight months into a pregnancy without telling everyone they know through Facebook. Tara Leiran decided she was going to be different. 

"No one on Facebook even knows I'm pregnant," said Tara. With a few of the monsters of Christopher Mihm's movie's in studio, Tara decided she was going to do the shoot and show all her friends and family the result. "It's nice to feel pretty when sometimes you don't," said Tara while she was looking at her pictures. Nothing could have been more fun for Tara, or anyone else in the room that day then poking fun at all the traditional pregnancy poses by doing them with a monster. 

Tara makes it look easy

Grinkie Girls Teams Up With Vine Park Brewery in Spokesmodel Search

ENTER TO WIN!  Be featured as next season’s (Summer 2013) spokes model for Vine Park Brewery!

Vine Park Brewery is looking for a new spokes model for their ad campaign slated to run on the back cover of MnUps magazine. You could be Miss Vine Park, Summer 2013, be featured in a magazine back cover ad campaign, and receive a prize package valued at over $750! All levels of photos are encouraged (professional portraits, snapshots, digital phone photos, etc.).  ANYONE CAN WIN!

Winners will receive a professional pin up photo shoot with Grinkie Photography (a $250 value) including professional hair and makeup by an acclaimed pin up stylist ($100 value), two VIP passes to the season’s MN Craft Brewers Event ($100+ value), a chance to brew your own beer or wine at VPBC ($250 value), a Vine Park Brewery T shirt, and bragging rights (PRICELESS)!

Contest is open to Minnesota residents and photographers.  Submissions for entry into the contest will begin March 15th  and will be accepted until April 10th. Finalists will be chosen by from valid entries, and the contest will be posted at www.vinepark.com, and www.mnups.com with digital voting for the Summer 2013 issue to begin on April 15, 2013, and end on April 30, 2013. Photography session will be completed in May for June magazine release.

Entry rules:  Must be 21 to enter. Enter by emailing your name and birthdate, a completed MnUps Model Release  and a picture of yourself to vpcontest@mnups.com.  Snap a shot of you looking your best. Photographs do no need to be professionally taken, nor do they need to be pin-up inspired. All MN residents and photographers are welcome and encouraged to enter. ANYONE CAN WIN! Live the dream of being a spokes model for Vine Park Brewing.

The Fine Print:  Additional contests will be run for the Fall 2013 (September 2013), Winter 2014 (December 2013) and Spring 2014 (March 2014) ad campaigns. Entries who were not chosen as finalists, as well as finalists who were not chosen as the Grand Prize winner for the season will be rolled over into the following contest. Winner will be chosen by popular vote.  Winners will be announced on the websites. Prize package is as stated in contest rules, no cash value/substitution will be awarded.  If the winner is unable to complete the photo session on schedule, the first runner-up will be awarded the prize, and so on.

Grinkie In The News

Grinkie Girls Photography was recently featured in an article in the Star Tribune.  One of our favorite quotes was:

“Women are choosing how they want to portray themselves in light of the pinup, which is a more idealized light,” she said. “Some take that and really push the boundary.”

For every woman who wants to pose with her skirt hiked up as if innocently caught on something, she said, there’s the woman who declared, “I want to be standing on a scale eating cake.”

Bottom line: “Our pinups are saying, ‘I’m in charge of my sexuality — and I can have a sense of humor about it.’ ”

You can read the fill test of the article here --> http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/190724161.html

Grinkie Photography was also featured in Mn Happenings. 

Some of our favorite quotes:

Grinkie Girls provides people with a fun, unique and yes, sassy, photo-shoot experience. And that experience of getting your photo taken is just as important as the end result to Christi, so she makes sure you have fun while you are with her. And, as an extreme extrovert and someone who can read people easily, it’s pretty difficult not to have fun when you are under Christi’s care.

You can liken it to a party. And in fact, Christi specializes in pin-up parties.

Whether you are a party of one doing a pin-up session or a party of 20, Christi and her “Girl Friday” (yes, that’s what she calls her assistant) make sure you have everything you need when you arrive at her studio. Wardrobe? Check. Christi has something for all shapes and sizes in a room full of vintage clothing. Make up and hair? Taken care of. Christi contracts with local make-up artists and hair stylists to make sure you look marvelous.

You can read the full text here --> http://minneapolis.happeningmag.com/grinkie-girls/

Pin Up Perfection - A Quick How To.....

Ready, Set, GO!

First we start with hair and makeup. It's a good idea to take a few minutes to search images on the internet for the pin up look you are wanting to get. There are many hairstyles and makeup choices  - but it's my hearty suggestion that you try something exaggerated. Ask your stylist to guide your selections to one that works well with your hair length and texture. Remember that a style should have a front-facing design, so that the beauty and detail of the style will show in your image.

While you are getting hair and makeup done, practice some pin up facial expressions.  Your facial expression will play a big part in your final look. You can start by practicing the vowels in an exaggerated manner. A, E, I, O, U.  Try a side look, a head tilt, a slight smirk. Practice in the mirror while you're being done up - it makes it a lot easier to remember and feel more natural on set.

Judy Garland, Photographer uncredited

What's Next

Now that you've been primped to pin up perfection, hair and makeup done, it may seem like the next step is wardrobe - and for many people, it will be their natural choice. But I will tell you that your next step should really be to consider which poses you want to try. Your wardrobe really can enhance your look once you know which angles and poses you plan to try.

 Poser!

There are several versions of classic pin up poses. Take a few minutes to review a few poses that you would like to try. Christi is great at knowing which poses enhance each person's individual assets, but don't be afraid to try something  new or racy. Some of the classic poses include: Legs Up, Stomach, The Sitting S, The Sitting C and many more. Sound like strange names? Take a look at some of these classics.

Leg Up/Bicycle (Gil Elvrin)

Leg Up Side (Gil Elvrin)

Sitting C (Gil Elvrin)

Sitting C (Gil Elvrin)

Sitting S - Peek A Boo (Gil Elvrin)

Stomach (Artist Unknown)

Sitting S (Gil Elvrin)

Get The Most Out of Your Camera Time

Once you see the similarities, you start to see a pattern. Imagine what makes you feel beautiful and sexy, what you can comfortably do, and get ready for some coaching. Getting the most out of your portrait sitting involves getting direction from our favorite Grinkie Photographer, Christi, who has a unique view of you, through the lens of her camera, lit to perfection.

Call Grinkie Photography at 612-382-8442 or drop us a note at GirlFriday@Grinkie.com to schedule your next pin up session. We can't wait to make YOU a Grinkie Girl (and Grinkie Girls have more fun)....